Collapsible container and closure member therefor



"1. M. MILLER 3,120,909

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER AND CLOSURE MEMBER THEREFOR Feb. 11, 1964 FiledAug. 2. 1961 IN V EIY TOR. (Pa M MI/Ier BY 20 01 WW /7 TTORN E Y UnitedStates Patent 3,120,909 COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER AND CLOSURE MEMBERTHEREFOR Ira M. Miller, Rte. 1, Box 1253, Gig Harbor, Wash. Filed Aug.2, 1961, Ser. No. 128,833 2 Claims. (Cl. 22.2-522) My invention relatesto a collapsible container and closure member therefor and an object ofmy invention is to provide a collapsible container of the tube or bottletype which is particularly well adapted to contain soft pasty material,such as tooth paste, shaving cream, hand cream, or the like, and whichhas a captive closure member of sleeve valve type that can be quicklyand easily moved between an open position and a closed position tocontrol the discharge of material from the container without entirelyremoving the closure member thus doing away with the danger 'of droppingand losing the closure member while handling the container.

My container is adapted to receive and dispense substantially anymaterial having the consistency of a paste. It is particularly welladapted to receive tooth paste and to dispense it onto a tooth brush andis herein described as applied to this use. In dispensing tooth pastefrom a collapsible tube of conventional type having a screw cap the userordinarily will hold the tube in one hand, unscrew the cap with theother hand, lay the cap down, pick up the tooth brush and load saidbrush by ejecting tooth paste from the end of the neck of the tube ontothe brush. He will usually then either lay the uncapped tube of toothpaste down while using the brush or he will lay the loaded brush downwhile he is picking up and replacing the cap on the tube before usingthe brush. In one instance the cap and the paste which is exposed at theopen end of the tube are open to contamination while the user isbrushing his teeth and there is danger of the paste oozing out of thetube or being inadvertently squeezed out while the tube remainsuncapped. In the other instance the paste on the loaded brush is open tocontamination and can be inadvertently smeared on adjacent objects whenthe loaded brush is laid down to enable the user to pick up the cap andreplace it on the tube. Also this procedure, when followed, requires agood many movements or operations on the part of the user and consumesconsiderable time. Carrying out this procedure is particularly difficultfor children who are liable to leave tooth paste tubes uncapped, dropand lose caps and smear tooth paste over objects and fixtures.

A primary object of my invention is to simplify the procedure outlinedin the preceding paragraph and make it easier and quicker for a user tocarry out the operation of brushing his teeth and to minimize the dangerof contaminating the tooth paste used.

Another object is to provide a collapsible container having thereon acaptive closure member which operates like a sleeve valve and is veryquickly and easily opened either by the hand in which it is held or byusing both hands and is quickly and easily closed by holding it in onehand and pressing the closure member against any firm and non-yieldingobject, such as against a wash bowl or a wall or a shelf.

Another object is to provide a collapsible container having a neckportion in which there is a transversely directed discharge opening ofsuitable shape to emit a flat ribbon of paste and which has a sleevevalve type closure member movable longitudinally of said neck to coverand uncover said discharge opening.

A further object is to provide a collapsible container having thereon aneck provided with "a suitable closure member slidable on the neck, theneck having a transversely directed discharge opening which can bepositioned to direct a ribbon of paste downwardly onto a brush and theslidable closure member serving to cut the paste 01f cleanly when it ismoved from an open to a closed position without producing any backpressure in the container.

A still further object is to provide a collapsible container having acylindrical neck with an external annular stop rib on its outer end andhaving on said neck a closure sleeve with an inner end part of smallerdiameter than said stop rib, said smaller inner end part fitting snuglybut slidable on said neck, said sleeve being formed of plastic materialwhich has enough elasticity so that, in assembly, its smaller inner endpart can be expanded and passed over said stop r-ib to permanently mountthe sleeve on the neck.

Other objects of my invention are to provide a collapsible container andclosure member therefor which are simple in construction, not expensiveto manufacture, time saving and easy to use, and capable of dispensingpaste or cream or even liquids from the container in a clean cut mannerand without leaving excess paste, cream or the like on the outside ofthe container or creating in the container 2. back pressure which willtend to cause the contents to ooze out of the same.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the followingdescription and accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a collapsible container andclosure member therefor constructed in accordance with my invention, thesleeve of the closure member being shown in an open position.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of said container and closure member takensubstantially on broken line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but showing the sleeve ofthe closure member in a fully closed positlOtIl.

FIG. 4 is a view in cross section taken substantially on broken line 44of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4A is a small scale sectional view showing an adaptation of myclosure member to conventional screw cap type collapsible tube.

FIG. 5 is a somewhat diagrammatic view illustrating one manner ofhandling my container and a tooth brush preparatory to loading toothpaste onto the brush when the container is used as a receptacle fortooth paste.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing a preferred manner ofdepositing a ribbon like strip of tooth paste on the tooth brush.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrating how my containercan be quickly and easily closed with one hand while the tooth brushwith paste on it is held in the other hand.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the severalviews.

In the drawings '10 indicates a collapsible container of the tube orbottle type. The container 10 has a neck 11 which is provided at oneside and adjacent the top of said container with a discharge opening orslot 1 2. The container 10 may be a collapsible metal tube or it may bea plastic receptacle of the type commonly termed a squeeze bottle. Acavity 13 in the neck 11 affords communication between the dischargeopening 12 and the interior of the container 10. Preferably the cavity13 has walls 14 which curve toward the opening 12 and terminate at thetop edge of said opening 12 and are shaped so as to avoid formingpockets in which material can remain and not be moved toward thedischarge opening 12 each time material is ejected.

Preferably the discharge opening 12 is narrow in transverse directionsand has a length substantially greater than its width so that the pasteor cream in the tube 10 will be discharged from said opening 112 in theform of a ribbon.

The outer end of the neck 1-1 is externally provided with a rib 15 whichserves as a stop member, as hereinafter explained. A tubular cup shapedclosure member 16 fits over the neck 11 and is movable longitudinallythereon and operates like a sleeve valve to selectively cover or uncoverthe discharge opening 12. The inner end portion of the closure member 16is of smaller internal diameter than the outer end portion is. The innerend part which is of smaller diameter is of a length suflicient to atleast completely overlap the discharge opening 12 when the closuremember 16 is in a closed position. Said smaller inner end part snuglyfits the exterior of the neck 11 and is slidable thereon. The internaldiameter of the outer end part of the closure member 16, that is thepart thereof shown uppermost in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, is larger than theexternal diameter of the neck 11 by an amount just enough to provideclearance for the annular stop rib 15 on the outer end of said neck 111.A shoulder 17 is provided within the closure member 216 at the junctionof said parts of smaller and larger diameter. The shoulder 17 engageswith the annular stop shoulder or rib v15 on the outer end of the neck11 to limit outward movement of the closure member 16 on the neck 11 andprevent complete removal of said closure member 16 from neck l l. Theclosure member 16 is made of plastic material, which in its finishedstate, is sufficiently elastic to allow the inner end portion thereof tobe expanded enough so it can be passed over the annular external r-ib15, in the process of assembly. Usually it is not necessary to removethe closure member 16 from the neck 11 after it has been assembledthereon.

The inner end of the closure member 16 is externally beveled to providea fairly sharp annular inner edge 18 which cooperates in cleanly cuttingoff paste, cream or like material which may be protruding from theopening 12 at the time the closure member r16 is moved to a closedposition.

Preferably the exterior of the outer end portion of the closure member16 is serrated or roughened, as indicated at 19 in FIG. 1, so saidclosure member can be more easily and firmly grasped in moving the sameoutwardly to uncover the discharge opening 12. Also a small air vent 20can be provided in the upper end portion of the closure member 16 torelieve pressure and suction therein.

FIG. 4A shows an adaptation of my invention to a collapsible tube 25 ofconventional construction which is provided with the usual externallythreaded neck 26. In this application of my invention the part 1=1acorresponds to the previously described neck part 11 of FIGS. 1 to 4except that it is not integral with any container but its lower endportion is tubular and internally threaded to adapt it to screw onto thethreaded neck of a conventional collapsible tube, such as the neck 26 ofthe tube '25. Parts 12a, 13a, 14a and 15a of the member 1141 are similarrespectively to the parts 12, 13, 14 and 15 of the neck member 111 ofFIGS. 1 to 4 and they function in the same manner, as hereinafterdescribed. In this construction shown in FIG. 4A the part 11a serves asan adapter member'and makes possible the use of my captive sleeve valvetype closure member on collapsible tubes now in common use, either byindividual users or by those who disperse products in conventionalcollapsible tubes.

FIGS. '5, 6 and 7 illustrate a preferred Way of using my collapsiblecontainer with captive sleeve valve closure member for dispensing toothpaste onto a tooth brush which includes a handle 21 and bristles 22. Forinstance, the user can hold the tube in one hand, such as the left hand,and the handle 21 of the brush between the fingers of the right handand, without elevating the arms into an awkward position, can grasp theclosure member 16 between the thumb and forefinger of the right hand andmove it to an open position. Also it is possible for the user, whenholding the tube 10 in one hand, to quickly and easily open the closuremember 16 with the thumb and forefinger of that hand by pushingoutwardly on the same. With the closure member 16 open and the tube 10rotatively positioned so that the discharge opening 12 is in a generallydownwardly directed position, the user draws the bristle part 22. of thebrush across the lower side of the neck 11 and at the same time sqeeezesout a desired amount of tooth paste 23 in ribbon form to load thebristle part of said brush, as shown in FIG. 6. The ribbon 23 of toothpaste on the brush will adhere to the bristles 22 and will not drop offeven if the brush is oriented into a partially inverted position, asshown in FIG. 7.

While the loaded brush is held in the right hand, and without laying itdown, the user can quickly and easily move the sleeve valve member 16 toa closed position by pressing the same against any convenient fixedobject, such as a wash bowl 24, and can proceed to use the loaded toothbrush. Thus it is not possible for the user to drop or lose the covermember of the tooth paste tube and it is the easiest course and requiresvery little time and the use of only the hand which holds the tube tomove the sleeve member 1.: to a closed position before laying the tubedown. Also the hand which holds the brush is not needed in closing thesleeve member 16 and there is no reason for laying the loaded brush downbefore using it. Thus time and effort on the part of the user are savedand the danger of contaminating the tooth paste through contact of thesame with unsanitary objects is minimized.

It is to be noted that all of the operations of moving the sleeve valvemember 16 to an open position and to a closed position and of loadingthe tooth brush are carried out without requiring the user to elevateeither arm into an awkward position, whereas, in the use of aconventional collapsible tooth paste tube having an end dischargeopening the user will ordinarily find it desirable to elevate the armwhich supports the tube into a substantially hori- Zontal position inorder to direct the paste downwardly onto the brush.

It is to be noted that the sleeve member 16 is freely slidabie andfreely rotatable on the neck .11 of FIGS. 1 to 4 and on the adapter 11aof FIG. 4A. Also that this sleeve 16 is not adapted to be detached bythe user. Turning of the sleeve 16 of the FIG. 4A device will notordinarilyunsorew the adapter member .1 1a from the neck 26 of tube '25because said sleeve 16 will turn on member 111a. If the part of thesleeve 16 which covers the discharge opening '12 or 12a is sufficientlyclose fitting it will prevent thin pastes and creams. and even liquidsfrom leaking out of the receptacles to which this device is applied.Thus my captive sleeve type closure member is practical for use onreceptacles in which liquids are stored.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclosepreferred embodiments of my invention but it will be understood thatthis disclosure is merely illustrative and that changes may be madeWithin the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible container and closure member therefor comprising acollapsible container body; a cylindrical neck connected with one'endportion of said body, said neck having a discharge opening in one sidethereof in close proximity to the junction of said neck and thecontainer body, said discharge opening being of narrow widthtransversely of said neck and substantially greater width longitudinallyof said neck to thereby impart a fiat ribbon shape to soft materialdischarged therefrom, the inner end portion of said neck having apassageway extending from the interior of the container body to saiddischarge opening, the part of said neck immediately outward from saidpassageway and said discharge opening being solid and restrictingoutward movement of soft material beyond said discharge opening; anexternal stop rib of larger over-all diameter than said neck on'theouter end portion of said neck; and a tubular cylindrical cup shaped capslidably mounted on said cylindrical neck, said cap having a closedouter end and an inner end which is externally beveled to a narrowannular edge, the internal diameter of said cap from the inner end ofthe cap outwardly for a distance greater than the length of thedischarge opening on the neck being substantially equal to the externaldiameter of the neck whereby this part of the cap will fit snugly butslidably on said neck and overlap said discharge opening from end to endof said opening when the cap is in the innermost position on the neck,said portion of smaller diameter terminating in an internal stopshoulder within the cap and approximately mid way of the length of saidcap, the internal diameter of the portion of said cap outwardly fromsaid stop shoulder being substantially equal to the external diameter ofsaid stop rib and the cap being slidable on said stop rib,

said internal stop shoulder being adapted to engage with said stop riband limit outward movement of said cap on said neck.

2. The container and member as claimed in claim, 1 in which at least theinner end part of the cap which is of an internal diameter smaller thanthe over-all external diameter of the stop rib is slightly elastic,whereby it can be expanded and passed over said stop rib and willcontract and provide a leak proof working fit on said neck.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

1. A COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER AND CLOSURE MEMBER THEREFOR COMPRISING ACOLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER BODY; A CYLINDRICAL NECK CONNECTED WITH ONE ENDPORTION OF SAID BODY, SAID NECK HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING IN ONE SIDETHEREOF IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE JUNCTION OF SAID NECK AND THECONTAINER BODY, SAID DISCHARGE OPENING BEING OF NARROW WIDTHTRANSVERSELY OF SAID NECK AND SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER WIDTH SHAPE TO SOFTMATERIAL DISCHARGED THEREFROM, THE INNER END PORTION OF SAID NECK HAVINGA PASSAGEWAY EXTENDING FROM THE INTERIOR OF THE CONTAINER BODY TO SAIDDISCHARGE OPENING, THE PART OF SAID NECK IMMEDIATELY OUTWARD FROM SAIDPASSAGEWAY AND SAID DISCHARGE OPENING BEING SOLID AND RESTRICTINGOUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SOFT MATERIAL BEYOND SAID DISCHARGE OPENING; ANEXTERNAL STOP RIB OF LARGER OVER-ALL DIAMETER THAN SAID NECK ON THEOUTER END PORTION OF SAID NECK; AND A TUBULAR CYLINDRICAL CUP SHAPED CAPSLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID CYLINDRICAL NECK, SAID CAP HAVING A CLOSEDOUTER END AND AN INNER END WHICH IS EXTERNALLY BEVELED TO A NARROWANNULAR EDGE, THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID CAP FROM THE INNER END OFTHE CAP OUTWARDLY FOR A DISTANCE GREATER THAN THE LENGTH OF THEDISCHARGE OPENING ON THE NECK BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE EXTERNALDIAMETER OF THE NECK WHEREBY THIS PART OF THE CAP WILL FIT SNUGLY BUTSLIDABLY ON SAID NECK AND OVERLAP SAID DISCHARGE OPENING FROM END TO ENDOF SAID OPENING WHEN THE CAP IS IN THE INNERMOST POSITION ON THE NECK,SAID PORTION OF SMALLER DIAMETER TERMINATING IN AN INTERNAL STOPSHOULDER WITHIN THE CAP AND APPROXIMATELY MID WAY OF THE LENGTH OF SAIDCAP, THE INTERNAL DIAMETER OF THE PORTION OF SAID CAP OUTWARDLY FROMSAID STOP SHOULDER BEING SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE EXTERNAL DIAMETER OFSAID STOP RIB AND THE CAP BEING SLIDABLE ON SAID STOP RIB, SAID INTERNALSTOP SHOULDER BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE WITH SAID STOP RIB AND LIMITOUTWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID CAP ON SAID NECK.